Interior Minister Sa'ar Seeks to Appoint Director General Ozen as Planning Council Chair
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar is proposing to appoint Yisrael Ozen, the current Director General of the Interior Ministry, as the interim chairman of the National Council for Planning and Construction. Ozen would replace Beni Arbiv, who was appointed just four months prior. The move is happening during a caretaker government period, with legal counsel advising against irreversible senior appointments. Interim appointments are permissible for operational continuity but require justification.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar wants to appoint Yisrael Ozen as interim chairman of the National Planning Council.
- Ozen would replace Beni Arbiv, who was appointed to the position four months ago.
- The proposed appointment occurs during a caretaker government period with legal restrictions.
- Legal counsel advised against irreversible senior appointments until a new government is formed.
- Interim appointments are allowed for operational continuity but require justification.
New Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar is seeking to appoint his ministry's Director General, Yisrael Ozen, as the interim chairman of the National Planning Directorate and the National Council for Planning and Construction. Ozen is slated to replace attorney Beni Arbiv, who was appointed to head the council just four months ago. Arbiv's appointment, which was finalized on July 15, 2026, received approval from a committee headed by retired judge Shlomit Dotan. Ozen himself, in his capacity as Director General of the Interior Ministry, signed off on Arbiv's appointment at the time. Arbiv previously served as deputy head of the National Planning Directorate and acting chairman of the National Council and the National Committee for National Infrastructures. He succeeded Natan Elnatan, who retired in April. Unlike Elnatan, who held both positions, Arbiv was appointed only as chairman of the National Council, not as head of the National Planning Directorate. Sa'ar now aims to place both roles under Ozen's interim leadership.
This move comes shortly after the government approved Sa'ar's appointment as Interior Minister on November 11, in addition to his role as Foreign Minister. The proposed appointment is occurring against the backdrop of restrictions on caretaker governments making senior appointments. Legal counsel to the government, Gali Baharav-Miara, previously clarified that restraint is still required until a new government is formed. Her deputies, Avital Sompolinsky and Gil Limon, emphasized the need to avoid irreversible decisions that could hinder the next government. While routine operations can continue, decisions are evaluated based on urgency, impact, and prior professional work. The legal counsel's guidelines do not entirely prohibit senior appointments during this period, and interim appointments are permissible to ensure an authority's function, subject to consultation with the Civil Service Commission. However, this does not automatically permit replacing an incumbent chairman with an interim appointee; such a move requires an examination of the circumstances and necessity.
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